Meanwhile, seven others who shared the same drink were rushed to the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) in critical condition, SSP Hitayezu said.

“The owner of the bar, only identified as Nkurunziza, was immediately arrested, but was later also rushed to CHUK after he started developing symptoms; he also consumed the same substance,” Hitayezu said.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that they laced a locally made illicit brew called muriture with surgical spirit to increase its alcoholic content, which made it toxic. We are, however, waiting for the medical report to confirm these investigations,” he explained.

Surgical spirit is a denatured alcohol, typically perfumed, used for cleaning and disinfecting the skin or medical instruments before an injection or surgical operation.

It is one of the rubbing agents unsafe for human consumption as they do not contain the ethyl alcohol of alcoholic beverages; ethyl rubbing alcohols are based on denatured alcohol, which is a combination of ethyl alcohol and one or more bitter poisons that make the substance toxic.

“We call upon the general public to stop consuming these illicit substances. They are unsafe, unhygienic and poisonous to users. We also call for continued cooperation and sharing of information on people involved in distilling these toxic drinks to that they are arrested,” the spokesperson said.

All drinks with alcoholic content exceeding 45 per cent as well as all those without the standard mark (S-Mark) issued by Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) are classified as narcotics.

Article 594 of the penal code stipulates that any person who, unlawfully, makes, transforms, imports, or sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances within the country, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to Rwf5 million.